Monday

Sep 10, 2018 at 12:01 AM

Editor's note: Second in a series of seven personality stories on the members of the Loudonville Police Department.

LOUDONVILLE — A native of Sullivan, new Loudonville Police Patrolman Cody Elsten worked for four years as a commercial roofer, and then decided to pursue a vocational dream of his lifetime, becoming a police officer.

While a student at the police academy at North Central State College, two of his instructors, Anne Strouth and Brad Copeland, suggested to him that he apply for an opening at the Loudonville Police Department.

"Both had experiences with the Loudonville Police, and thought I would be a good fit," Elsten said. "So I applied, was interviewed by Chief Kevin Taylor, and Capt. Jim Coey, and they hired me."

Elsten noted that the Loudonville community is well represented at NCSC's police academy, as former Loudonville residents Craig Spreng and Mark Maxwell also work there. He was sworn in as a part-time officer on July 31, and expects to start full time in October.

Right now he is in his FTO (Field Training Officer) experience, and will be riding with a full-time officer for between 12 and 16 weeks.

"In this experience I learn how things are done in the department, about local ordinances and I become familiar with the area, and the people," he said. "The experience sort of eases me into regular policing."

Elsten is the son of Rachel May Penn, who is in Sullivan, and Ken Elsten, who now is in Lorain. A bit of influence in becoming a policeman came through a great-grandfather, who was an officer in Vermillion.

Elsten is a 2013 graduate of Black River High School, where he had a storied football career. Playing under nearly legendary coach Al Young, he started three years as the Pirates' quarterback, on teams that won three straight Patriot's Athletic Conference championships and which, his junior year, made it to the third round of the state football playoffs. When asked, he described himself as an "out-of-pocket quarterback, running and throwing out of the run."

Other than baseball his freshman year, football was his only sport.

"When I got into football, I took it very seriously and spent a lot of time in the weight room," he said. "I still lift, and work hard to be physically fit. It helps with the police job."

When he is not working or working out, he enjoys outdoor sports, hunting, fishing and boating. "I really look forward to the hunting seasons," he said. "And I also remain very close to my family."

He said his roofing job involved huge roof projects, like replacement roofs for schools and industry, commercial buildings and hospitals, along with maintenance work on this type of roof.

"I ended up being a foreman on a maintenance crew, but at that point I realized that I could not do that kind of hard physical work for a lifetime, and I kind of got tired of all the travel — to jobs as far away as eastern Pennsylvania and Texas," he said. "I had dreamed about becoming a policeman seemingly forever, and I decided to pursue that dream and enter the police academy."

He started the academy in August of 2017, and noted "studying and police academy routine were far different than commercial roofing, so as I worked through it," he said. "I thought back to my football practices, and working for a goal."

In his two months with the department, Elsten said: "I love it here. The guys are great, the chief is tremendous."

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